


Day One Hundred Seventeen || More Than Expected

by 365daysofsasuhina



Series: 365 Days of SasuHina 2019 [117]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - Avatar & Benders Setting, F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-28
Updated: 2019-04-28
Packaged: 2020-02-08 18:38:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,044
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18628993
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/365daysofsasuhina/pseuds/365daysofsasuhina
Summary: He'd thought so little of her, then. Just another pathetic waterbender, too scared to even look him in the eyes. But she, more than any of the others, came to be more than he expected.





	Day One Hundred Seventeen || More Than Expected

He’ll easily admit...he didn’t think much of her at first.

She’d been a timid little thing: fear clear in her eyes as his ship pulled up through the ice of her tribe’s territory. They’d all had matching looks of terror and apprehension on their faces...except that nonbender. Kiba. The one with the polar bear dog. He’d wasted no time in charging straight in, clearly ready to take them all on alone.

Brave. Maybe. But awfully stupid.

Hinata had tried to tell him to stop. Refused to give up the Avatar. It was then - only then - that she suddenly seemed to grow some spine. But Naruto, seeing the danger his refusal would bring, had gone along quietly.

...for a time.

The water tribe duo had then quite spectacularly ruined his plans. Sasuke’s ship - and everyone on it - was trapped in a gorge of ice and snow, their vessel sustaining heavy damage.

It was then Sasuke knew...he couldn’t afford to underestimate them again.

Over and over the groups crossed paths as he caught up, only for them to slip through his fingers. And every time, they seemed to get a little wiser. A little stronger. And as Sasuke’s loyalties to his nation, his family, and his father were tested...he seemed to change, too. Until the weight of his father’s ideologies - the true intentions Fugaku had for the rest of the world - became too much to allow.

Sasuke had known Naruto needed a firebending teacher. But he also knew his past actions would mean a tough sell to join them. Naruto had agreed first...but the rest of his group weren’t so easily assuaged.

Least of which was Hinata.

By then, she’d grown into a mighty waterbender: a prodigy in her own right. No longer was she the scared little girl she’d been when they’d met. She’d changed more than Sasuke ever expected her capable of.

And that included her wariness. It took a great deal of them working together for Sasuke to convince her that he’d changed, too. Until, finally, she’d allowed herself to trust him.

By the war’s end, they had grown close. Friends at last, and now able to trust one another implicitly.

Of course, the war hadn’t been the end of their struggles. Rebuilding, restructuring...it was all going to take years and years of work. Given their integral roles, the lot of them were unable to avoid being dragged into the middle of it. Naruto - as both Avatar, and the last of the airbenders - had it worst. But the earthbender, Sakura, was a constant at his side. Something to ground himself to. Kiba took to helping his land’s navy in the multi-nation treaties and disarmament of the Fire Nation until old wounds could heal.

Sasuke, though not Fire Lord, was always at his brother’s side. His prior hunger for power - at any cost - made him cautious. That wariness was a great asset to the recovering and repenting Fire Nation.

Hinata had her hands full with rebuilding her lands, and reintegrating her people.

All of them had their work cut out, but did their best to meet outside the expected. Child warriors turned into teenage diplomats, and then finally, into grown leaders.

Hinata, Sasuke thought, blossomed the most of them all. Her talents with her element were easily a master’s level: few, if any, could stand beside her in terms of skill. Her diplomacy - fueled by her kind nature, and tempered by all she’d faced - meant she was fair...but unyielding when necessary. 

And though perhaps not needed for her cause...she’d grown into a beautiful young woman. Something Sasuke had been struck by once while on a break from negotiations back in the Fire Nation. First he’d noticed her maturity...but something about her expression, the lighting...he’d truly  _ seen _ her for the first time. Partially in the physical sense...but also as a whole.

Never had he expected that girl back in the South - trembling with fear at the sight of a single Fire Nation vessel - to become what Hinata had become.

But once all of the talks had been resolved, there were fewer and fewer reasons for him to see her. His own land - having submitted to the demands of those they’d wronged - then had to turn inward to reflect, and grow anew. The southern water tribes, in the same breath, had made  _ some _ progress...but in reality, would never be the same. Hinata’s efforts to help her people both heal and prosper were ambitious...but, slowly and surely, she’d fought against that tide and won.

Each were busy with their respective roles. And likely would be for the rest of their lives. Sasuke knew this. And yet...he still longed to see her. Even if he suspected she had never - and  _ would  _ never - see him the way he’d seen her that night.

But still, he made the effort. Reached out. At first, as part of the group seeking to reconvene. It had been a start. An open door to try to open another. 

...she’d accepted.

Something else he hadn’t expected.

Once, twice, thrice they met without the others. Slowly, something that had started long ago, but then left by the wayside, was given time again to grow.

Until he’d made the leap and given her his own, strange version of the betrothal necklace. He’d fully expected her to refuse...perhaps even be offended by using part of her culture despite being an outsider.

...but she hadn’t. Though not yet ready for marriage, she’d assured him they could try to keep building. Keep growing. And that, more than anything, had surprised him. They had gone from hated enemies, to begrudging allies, to friends...and then to more. Each of them had grown. Changed. Though his metamorphosis had seemed far more glaring, hers too had drastically different beginnings and ends. But while fire was always hot and burning, water was a constant flow. Perhaps that was why so many seemed to see his change first.

But to him, hers would always be more striking. Years later, they would laugh at their beginnings. The mighty, haughty fire prince...and the timid, bashful water maiden.

A strange pair...both becoming more than first expected. Especially when finally brought together.

**Author's Note:**

> Long day. Tired OTL
> 
> I know this is rather...lacking @~@ More narrative, but I'm so gosh darn tired...I didn't want to miss a day, though. So hopefully something is better than nothing. I'm sorry OTL Crummy night's sleep combined with a long, exhausting day means this writer's just about out of gas.
> 
> So for now I better sleep to try and make up for it. Thanks for reading~


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